


Gingerbread the Chocobo and the Search for the Blue Crystals

by TheLegendofStella



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: And completely a cinnamon roll?, Because my Cid is naturally humorous fhjsdfds, Cause yanno, Cid bein sweet to kids and Vincent having many dokis basically, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, My first fic here AUGH, Not around the kids tho just around Vince, Post-Canon, Storytelling, Swearing, This is the fluffiest thing I have ever written and I didn't even intend it, Vincent being Dramatic™
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:02:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24447040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLegendofStella/pseuds/TheLegendofStella
Summary: Vincent is fortunate enough to catch Cid telling Marlene and her friends a story, and falls in love just a little bit more.
Relationships: Cid Highwind/Vincent Valentine
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	Gingerbread the Chocobo and the Search for the Blue Crystals

"Uncle Cid! Is it storytime yet?"  
  
Vincent blinked at the sound of Marlene's young voice, turning to observe the scene where it came from. The girl, already growing up so fast, was looking up at Cid imploringly, Emiliana and Violet crowded around her with similar looks on their faces. A familiar scene, to be sure, but not quite in this particular context.  
  
Cid, ever the nurturing type, gave them all an amused yet fond look. "Did ye eat yer greens first?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Even the kale?"  
  
"Mhmm!" Emiliana piped up, nodding vigorously. "Ginger would've eaten his greens, so we did too!"  
  
Ginger...? Cid's laughter rang out, coating his thoughts in honey and distracting him from his curiosity. He was always so weak for that laugh... "Y'all 're a riot, y'know that? Alright, c'mon, gather 'round the rug. No time like the present t' get a story in."  
  
The three girls cheered, herding themselves over to the beige rug and sitting upon it with a whirl of excitement. Cid followed soon after, sitting in the padded leather chair that overlooked most of the room, and chuckled when the kids scooted closer in order to huddle around his feet. "Ey, easy there, girls. Sittin' on my toes ain't gonna do ya any favors. Now, where were we again...?"  
  
Vincent took the time to slip inside the room unnoticed while the blonde was occupied, settling into a dark corner to eavesdrop. Cid telling Marlene and her friends stories didn't surprise him-- Vincent himself was regaled with stories all the time, ranging from the trivial to the grand and glorious. But he hadn't heard Cid tell any _kid_ stories to anyone... and that was something that needed to be rectified. The more he watched Cid, touched Cid, _loved_ Cid, the more he could unravel the mystery that was the infamously foul-mouthed (and roguishly handsome) pilot. He was wholly and unapologetically selfish when it came to the man, craving every bit of him to be at his side. It was a feeling that had even the demons in him growling in pleasure, and was one of the only times he did not feel alarmed at their collective approval. It was simpler that way, anyway.  
  
"Ahh, I remember." Cid's voice cut through his darkness like butter, bringing him back to the real world. The blonde leaned forward some in his seat, sky blue eyes glimmering in the cool daylight. "You girls remember where we left off, right? Gingerbread the chocobo an' his pals had just crossed through the Mythril Mines with the help of their new friend Gobin, an' what awaited them next was a dark, spooky forest known as the Cursed Forest..."  
  
"That's a little bit on the nose." Violet said frankly, pouting. She was starting to grow out of her imaginary child phase.  
  
"Well, what else wouldja call it? It's a forest an' it's cursed, making whoever entered its groves disappear without a trace... 'r so the legend goes. Gobin volunteered t' lead them all most of the way through, as he had journeyed into its depths many times as a young lad... though he, too, had never quite made it out onto the other side. They all stuck t' Gobin's side as he traveled a half-grown trail path, trekking until it began to grow dark and cold... It was gettin' late in the evenin' when Golric spotted a light in the distance, and when they drew closer to it, it turned out t' be the infamous Black Manor, somethin' even more mysterious than the forest itself! It was said that the mansion was inhabited by horrible monsters, an' that no one who dared enter it came back out alive. Now, a' course it woulda been in our heroes' best interest t' avoid the place entirely... but it was gettin' awful late, an' they didn't want t' chance sticking 'round the forest at night fer very long, so they reluctantly entered the manor, Mog protestin' the whole way."  
  
"Of course Mog protested-- he's a big scaredy cat!" Emiliana huffed.  
  
Cid chuckled. "That he is, though he'd never admit it. Ginger an' his friends even called 'im out on it, an' all he did was huff an' puff at 'em in denial. Well, anyway... So they enter the gates o' the mansion, lookin' fer a place t' rest fer the night, but there was _somethin'_ keepin' 'em wary an' wide awake, the wind puttin' a chill in their bones. As they approached the front door o' the house, it creaked ever so slightly open, revealin' a pair of yellow, glowin' eyes..."  
  
Marlene gasped. "Oh no! Ginger!!!"  
  
Another laugh. "Don't worry, kiddo, Ginger was jus' fine. All the mystery person ended up doin' was scarin' the livin' daylights outta Mog, makin' 'im scramble behind a nearby bush fer cover. Ya shoulda seen the way Mog quivered fer a moment 'r two! Poor thing just couldn' catch a break, huh?" At the sound of the girls' giggles, Cid grinned and leaned back in his seat. "By then, the yellow eyes vanished, leavin' 'em all wonderin' what the heck that was all about. When Mog realised the danger had passed, he began t' huff an' puff again, and Gobin told 'im t' go investigate if he was so inclined t' complain about it. But Ginger, bein' the curious lil' chickadee he was, decided t' go in first before anyone else could protest, seein' as they'd get nowhere if he let them argue..." He spread his hands out in a dramatic gesture, drawing his audience in with the ominous shift in his tone. "The mansion was dark, only dimly lit by the candlelight of the chandelier in the main room... The blood red carpet spilled out before him, windin' up a grand, mahogany staircase... An' there at the top stood the figure with the glowin' yellow eyes, lookin' down at Ginger an' his friends as they filed in. He was wearin' a set a' blue an' yellow robes, face obscured by the dark blue scarf and wide-brimmed hat he had on, and in his hand he carried an elegant scepter. He was one of the rare, elusive black mages, people of incredible magical power an' skill whose talents laid in the dark arts. He was a sight t' behold, t' be sure."  
  
The girls let out sounds of awe, easily picturing the black mage in their minds. They were fully immersed in the story, charmed by the fervor in which Cid told his story. Vincent was charmed, too. "A black mage... What'd he do when he saw Ginger and the gang, Uncle Cid?" Marlene asked quietly, burning with childish curiosity.  
  
The blonde smirked. "He was dead silent, just starin' an' watchin' 'em fer a minute 'r two, before he raised his scepter an' conjured up a cloud fer him t' stand upon, liftin' him off the ground with ease. He then pointed his scepter right at Ginger, his yellow eyes narrowing jus' the tiniest bit-- he was challengin' 'em t' a race without the use a' words. The others had no idea what he was tryna say, not knowin' the language of silence, but Ginger knew instantly an' puffed up his feathers, acceptin' the challenge wholeheartedly. Ginger slipped on those jet-skates I made fer him with ease, not even waitin' fer the others t' catch on 'fore he rolled up t' the black mage's startin' line. A single nod passed between 'em, Ginger givin' his usual determined trill, an' then they were off, racin' 'round the mansion without a second t' spare."  
  
"Yeah!!! Go Ginger!"  
  
The four of them laughed at the way Emiliana cheered, such a hearty chorus, and Cid's deeper tones stroked at a part of Vincent's heart that made him docile and placid, forgetting even the least shadowy of his desires. How was it that such a simple sound could calm him so? He'd asked himself that long, long ago, before he even knew he was in love, but the answer still eluded him. It was dangerous to hold such a weakness, yes, but... hearing it was always so _satisfying_.  
  
And seeing Cid look so relaxed was also a treat. He really was good with children, despite his initial protests. "I remember Ginger tellin' me it was a tough race-- the black mage was swift on his feet, so t' speak, an' was sneaky about usin' his arsenal of magic t' get ahead. Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Reflect... you name it, he had it waitin' in the palm of his hand. But Ginger was a fast birdy, and more than used t' dealin' with surprises on the racetrack by now. Firagas and Thundagas at his feet, Ginger raced as fast as he could, sprintin' towards the finish line... and he crossed it just as a Blizzara hit him, makin' 'im spin out an' crash int' the wall on the other side! Poor thing had all his feathers in a kerfuffle once he recovered himself, but thankfully he wasn't hurt too bad from the blast."  
  
Marlene huffed. "Hey! That was mean of him to hit Ginger like that!"  
  
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it? But the black mage wasn't intendin' t' hit him like that, not at all! It was a spell that went a lil' haywire on him, fer all his efforts at bein' composed-- no one likes t' realise they're losin', after all. He rushed over t' Ginger and cast a good ol' Cure on him, an had an apology in those big ol' yellow eyes a' his. Mog an' the rest were, reasonably, not very happy with their friend- rival, in Mog's case- bein' hurt by some witch-hatted weirdo with a big stick, but Ginger had already forgiven him, sensin' that he was genuine. Y'all know just how sweet Ginger is with everyone, dontcha?"  
  
A chorus of agreement, followed by quiet giggles. Cid smiled, angelic and soft, and Vincent was absolutely going to die before the end of this if the blonde kept making sweet expressions like that. "After Ginger had calmed 'em all down an' healed up, the black mage very quietly introduced himself as Nathaniel, an exiled mage with a particular penchant fer racin'. It turned out that he was rather lonely livin' in the mansion, an' rather on the sweet side, too! Ginger an' his friends had just ended up scarin' him half t' death showin' up at his doorstep like that. It also turned out that he had a Blue Crystal jus' like the rest of 'em, allowin' him that extra boost a' magic fer all his spellcastin'! Ginger told 'im that they were all travelin' the world t' find others with Blue Crystals like them, an' at the moment they were a bit strapped fer shelter an' food. Nathaniel was quick t' offer 'em a place t' stay an' some food t' eat, still embarrassed over havin' hurt Ginger earlier... though not in so many words. He was still the silent type, an' preferred t' speak as lil' as possible, because... get this: he had a horrible, highly embarrassin' _lisp_."  
  
"What?!" Violet exclaimed, finally breaking out of her shell. "No way!"  
  
"Oh, but he did! The poor thing could never quite get his words t' come out right, an' all his magic suffered fer it when he was little, so that's why he eventually got exiled in the first place. But then he found his Blue Crystal, an' suddenly he hardly needed to even utter a sound t' cast a spell! It was quite a miracle fer him, Ginger told me afterwards. An' it was good enough reason t' refuse t' give Mog the crystal piece when he asked--" He snickered at the way Marlene, Emiliana and Violet groaned, the three apparently having heard that particular story point one too many times. "I know, I know, good ol' Mog back at it again with bein' a greedy jerk. But that's the way he was back then, an' sometimes, people go through phases like that fer a long, _long_ time before they start gettin' better. It's all about the life experience ya go through, y'know? Anyway... So, instead, as a compromise, Nathaniel agreed t' set out with them in the mornin', as he, too, wanted t' see more of the world fer himself besides the Cursed Forest. An' so Ginger gained a new friend that night, an' in the warm mornin' after, the forest an' the mansion didn't seem so scary after all."  
  
The girls murmured to themselves as Cid wrapped up the story, having clearly enjoyed the little tale the man spun. It seemed like it was an ongoing story broken into several chapters, which explained why the girls were so eager to hear the latest installment. Cid, as always, was astoundingly creative and put far too much passion into every word he spoke, especially since he was only telling a children's fairytale of sorts... but that was what drew Vincent to him in the first place, wasn't it? It was one of his favorite things about the man, to be able to turn things that should have no value at all into the greatest of masterpieces. Sheets of steel into magnificent airships, computer code into technological artwork, simple foods into divine dishes... The process was beautiful. _Cid_ was beautiful. Good lord, he has far too many feelings in him at the moment to think straight.  
  
"Alright, girls, storytime's over! Y'all run off now an' be good-- no breakin' anything like _last time_ , got it?"  
  
Marlene and her friends nodded vigorously with just a hint of sheepishness in their faces (no fear, _never_ fear, not around Cid), and jumped up, already rushing off to play outside again while reenacting some of the scenes from Cid's story. The blonde chuckled, holding a hand up to his forehead in exasperated amusement. "Kids... honestly. Can't catch a break with 'em, can I?"  
  
Silence reigned for a few moments, Cid musing to himself silently, but then his concentration was broken by a red cape climbing up into his lap, its tattered ends curling around his legs. He snorted inelegantly at the sight of it, running a hand across some of the folds with an amused smirk. "Well well, if it ain't Ghost Cape in the flesh. Fabric. Whatever, ghost shit's weird. You been stalkin' me again, Vinny?"  
  
Vincent sighed and manifested back into human form, straddling Cid's lap as he tucked his face into the junction between the blonde's shoulder and neck. It was warm, and _soft_. "You tell such wonderful stories, Highwind."  
  
"Aw, is that what this is about?" He huffed, maneuvering Vincent's pliant form in order to hold him in his lap better. "Yer a dork. 'S just a kid story, nothin' fancy."  
  
"I know," Vincent murmured, settling himself back in by snaking his arms across Cid's shoulders, and he pressed a smile into his pulse point. "But you look radiant in your passion, and this poor sinner is unable to resist the sweetness that falls from your lips."  
  
" _Ugh_ , you an' yer fuckin' melodramatic emo shit, I swear." Cid grumbled, but dutifully kissed his hair, pressing the ravenette closer to his chest. "If I give you cuddles, will you shut yer trap an' quit with that shit?"  
  
His smile widened and he playfully nipped at Cid's neck. "Maybe."  
  
"Bastard," Cid laughed, warm and full, and somehow clutched him even closer. Vincent wasn't complaining in the slightest, not with the way he was held so strongly. "Ah... I love you, Vince, y'know that? Irritating theatrics an' all."  
  
Heat rushed to his cheeks at the declaration, and he couldn't help but hide his face even further into that broad chest, willing his heart to stop beating so fast, because _really_. He should not be getting flustered over something that's now the status quo. "I... mnh. _Cid_..."  
  
The blonde snickered. "Adorable. Absolutely adorable. Guess I should tell ya more stories if it's gonna make ya all soft like this, huh?"  
  
Vincent hummed, taking a few more seconds to take comfort in Cid's warmth. He could hear his heart beating in a steady, relaxed rhythm, and it made him feel warm with affection. It was only fitting for such a steady man to have such a steady pulse, even in the heat of battle. He drew back, raising his head in order to finally meet those gorgeous blues he loved so dearly. "There is... one more thing."  
  
"Mn? What, more theatre bullshit? Ugh... Alright, fine, get it outta yer system so we can fuckin' cuddle already."  
  
He smiled, and kissed him soundly. "I love you too, Cid. Now, and forever always."  
  
And thus it was paradise.

**Author's Note:**

> The story is a modified version of the story mode of Chocobo Racing, a bit of a niche(?) kart game that I accidentally found and thought was the most adorable thing ever. Also, big excuse for Valenwind, because there needs to be more fluff for them anyway.
> 
> Technically this was written for an AU of sorts, but... it could apply to an ambiguous post-canon thing too, so, y'know, less hassle.
> 
> Comments and critiques (and kudos) greatly appreciated! :D Seriously, go ham. Can't improve without feedback, right?


End file.
